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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated on Sunday in festive events dedicated to the 2703rd anniversary of the Armenian town of Echmiadzin. The PM first toured the city square to get acquainted with the artworks presented at various stands, talked to Echmiadzin’s residents, and taking the opportunity, congratulated them on the anniversary of their city, his office said.

Pashinyan next lit candles and called at the Machanents Home art school. The PM was briefed on the school’s ongoing activities. The school has painting, ceramics, sculpture, pottery, as well as information technology groups. Pashinyan toured the exhibition halls to get acquainted with schoolchildren’s works.

In his speech, he particularly mentioned: “Dear Echmiadzin residents, I am happy to see you in such a high mood. There are still villages and even towns in Armenia whose inhabitants are complaining that the revolution has not affected their city, but I think that the residents of Echmiadzin can see that the revolution has not only arrived, but it has triumphed in the town.”

According to the PM, people in Echmiadzin are well aware of the cost of freedom. “As a former journalist, politician, political prisoner, MP, I want to apologize to before residents of Echmiadzin for the years we have not been able to help you as we should help, but eventually we knew we were going to freedom and legitimacy step by step,” the Armenian leader said.

The premier congratulated the residents of Echmiadzin for “the freedom that they have gained,” adding: “I hope that you will exercise your freedom and rights and will no longer allow anyone to decide how to live, where to go and whom to elect not only in Echmiadzin, but nationwide as well. Today, legality and freedom are being established in the Republic of Armenia, today the citizen of Armenia feels victorious and, unfortunately, there are such forces in Armenia that are feeling bad while the whole nation is in high spirits, who are still eager to instill mistrust in people, and who even think of taking away the people’s power. Disappointment is awaiting such people; the old corrupt system does not even imagine that they have no chance in the Republic of Armenia. But I want to tell those political forces that they need not feel uneasy in their own country where people feel good.

“Our people have won and do not try to spoil the victory at any cost. You can join and enjoy the victory; you can surrender to the people because this is a revolution of love and solidarity. You want to do everything to turn the revolution into one of anger and resentment, but you will not succeed because love and national unity have won in Armenia, and nobody can ruin our people’s revolution.” 

“We do not have enemies in our country and let no one of our compatriots fall into the enemy, but that does not mean that there may be arbitrariness and illegality in Armenia. Anyone who may try to ignore the law, the people’s opinion and demands, will end up in history’s dump.

“Today, many are protesting about dictatorship being established in Armenia. Some are running 3 times a week to Strasbourg, Moscow, Washington in order to declare that a terrible dictatorial regime is being established in Armenia. Nobody can establish a dictatorial regime in Armenia, first of all because dictatorship is at odds with our values.

“Our values imply democracy, legality; freedom is our mission. Should anyone try to establish dictatorship in Armenia, they will appear not only in the dump of history, but also in Sanitec’s dumps. This is the truth,” the PM said.

“I am touched by this wonderful atmosphere. I congratulate you on Echmiadzin’s anniversary, on your victories, your freedom, on our new Armenia, new future and those imminent victories that are in the air. And I can only say that I love you all and bow down because I am proud of you since you are free, powerful and proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,” he concluded.